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Wedding Dress—Love & War
State
Historical Society of Iowa curators are always looking for those small and seemingly
inconsequential stories that make Iowa history unique. In late June, Chief Curator
Michael Smith had the opportunity to accept a donation from a family in Pocahontas
with just such a story to accompany its gift.
Arlene Alberts and Clinton Fogde met at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon in 1942. Arlene had grown up on a farm in Pocahontas and after graduating, began to teach school in Sanborn. Clinton was drafted and served in the Army Air Corps as a pilot flying troop transports around the world.
Following the war, Arlene and Clinton decided to marry. But in 1946, wedding dresses were not easy to come by and many brides-to-be instead made their own. Arlene decided this was the best option, but was unable to find enough white material for her dress.
Clinton to the rescue.
He flew over Arlene’s father’s farm near Pocahontas and tossed out a large cargo parachute which her father caught. Arlene, her mother and friends created the dress from the parachute material.
“At the time, it was not uncommon for women to sew wedding dresses from parachute silk,” Smith said. “But how many dresses are made from silk dropped from an airplane flown by the prospective groom?”
On June 29, Smith arrived at the Pocahontas Manor nursing home to receive the wedding dress donation. To his surprise, more than 50 guests were assembled—including Clinton, now 80-something, and Arlene, a resident of the home, and their two daughters, Christina Brown and Linda Bender. The dress story was told, the Deed of Gift was signed and everyone adjourned to the dining room for wedding cake and punch, Smith said.
“I then attended a separate reception and buffet dinner at Clinton’s home,” he added. “I finally made it back to Des Moines at 8:30 p.m. with the wonderful wedding dress and a story to be preserved for the people of Iowa.”
If you’re interested in donating items to the State Historical Society
of Iowa collection and think you have an interesting story, call 515-281-5111.
